Inside the Nicu: the Cork neonatal unit caring for thousands of tiny patients

Parents and staff speak with Irish Examiner Health Correspondent Niamh Griffin during her visit to Cork University Maternity Hospital

Research support officer Mary Anne Ryan with Michelle Magee from Lehenaghmore cradling her one-week-old son Luke at the neonatal intensive care unit in Cork University Maternity Hospital. Picture: David Creedon

One unit in Cork University Maternity Hospital does not have any beds. Instead, its tiny patients lie in incubators while their worried parents watch every breath.

The incubators line the walls leaving space for sinks, equipment, and for staff to move easily between the little patients.